PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Comma Usage Practice Questions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses commas with an appositive phrase?
- My sister, Elena is studying medicine at Harvard.
- My sister, Elena, is studying medicine at Harvard. (Correct answer)
- My sister Elena, is studying medicine at Harvard.
- My, sister Elena is studying medicine at Harvard.
Correct answer: My sister, Elena, is studying medicine at Harvard.
An appositive phrase that renames or identifies a noun must be enclosed with commas on both sides. 'Elena' renames 'My sister,' so commas appear both before and after it.
Question 2: Which sentence correctly uses commas with a full date written mid-sentence?
- The treaty was signed on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia.
- The treaty was signed on July, 4, 1776, in Philadelphia.
- The treaty was signed on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. (Correct answer)
- The treaty was signed on July 4 1776, in Philadelphia.
Correct answer: The treaty was signed on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia.
When a full date (month, day, and year) appears within a sentence, a comma follows both the day and the year. Option C correctly places a comma after '1776' before continuing the rest of the sentence.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses commas with a direct address?
- Can you please help me Marcus with this problem?
- Can you please help me, Marcus with this problem?
- Can you please help me, Marcus, with this problem? (Correct answer)
- Can, you please help me Marcus with this problem?
Correct answer: Can you please help me, Marcus, with this problem?
When directly addressing someone by name mid-sentence, the name must be set off with commas on both sides. Option C correctly encloses 'Marcus' with commas before and after.
Question 4: Which sentence correctly uses commas around a parenthetical expression?
- The new policy in fact has been very effective.
- The new policy, in fact has been very effective.
- The new policy in fact, has been very effective.
- The new policy, in fact, has been very effective. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The new policy, in fact, has been very effective.
Parenthetical expressions like 'in fact' interrupt the flow of a sentence and must be enclosed by commas on both sides. Option D correctly places a comma both before and after 'in fact.'
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses a comma with a contrasting element?
- It was her persistence, not her talent that won the prize.
- It was her persistence not, her talent, that won the prize.
- It was her persistence, not her talent, that won the prize. (Correct answer)
- It was, her persistence not her talent that won the prize.
Correct answer: It was her persistence, not her talent, that won the prize.
Contrasting elements introduced by 'not' should be enclosed with commas. Option C correctly places a comma before 'not' and after 'talent' to set off the contrasting phrase from the rest of the sentence.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly uses commas between coordinate adjectives?
- It was a cold, rainy miserable afternoon.
- It was a cold rainy, miserable afternoon.
- It was a cold, rainy, miserable afternoon. (Correct answer)
- It was a, cold rainy miserable afternoon.
Correct answer: It was a cold, rainy, miserable afternoon.
Coordinate adjectives—those that independently and equally modify the same noun—must be separated by commas. Since 'cold,' 'rainy,' and 'miserable' each independently describe 'afternoon,' commas are required between all three.
PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Comma Usage Practice Questions 1
Which sentence correctly uses commas with an appositive phrase?